Service Dog Training

Question:
 I am beginning to train Oliver as a service dog. At 12 weeks he knows how to sit, his name, and come. He also knows how to dance (my mom taught him that one...). I think he's doing pretty good because I haven't had much time to spend training him lately. He whines when he has to go potty at night. He isn't crate trained because we put him in his pack n play for nap times. He sleeps in bed with me. Now for my question for any of you familiar with service dog training, where do you go next? How do you train a dog to go under the table while I am eating and not pick up dropped food?
I have a list of a million questions and any help is appreciated. I'm switching trainers right now to someone who uses clicker training.
Karla and Oliver

Answer:
 You really should enlist the aid of a certified service dog trainer. It is to you and your dog's benefit to go thru a set series of exercises to learn these behaviors.

Answer:
 As for service dog , what kind of service dog do you mean, like blind, deaf, therapy? Just a general description of what he'll be doing and expected to do will be helpful.
You should train leave it, even outside service dogs, leave it is a very handy command to know. Then the dog will wait for your "okay" (make your okay really happy and excited sounding) when food drops, if you walk by something interesting on a wlak, or dozens of other situations... This also means that any time food drops, acceptable or not, you give him a different treat, NOT the one that is on the ground. Pick up the one from the ground. He will learn that food that fas fallen to the ground is not "free givings". So he learns that weather he takes the one from the ground or not he still gets a treat.
For most types of service, having a very calm dog is a must, if your dog is the least bit "hyper" or appears as though he would be a hyper adult. (most puppies are rambunctious). He should also learn lie down and stay, he should be able to hold a stay for 5 minutes in any position. You should be able to leave the room and have him stay calm, this is tested in the majority of service dog examinations. He also shouldn't bark too much, or know a command for "stop barking" (many people use shush-it-up, a kind way to say shut up)...
Not being crate trained isn't a big deal for therapy, and sleeping on the bed is fine as long as he doesn't run up to anyone's bed and jump on it (unless he is a particularly small dog that sick/elderly people wouldn't mind having jump on their laps ). You should have a command for giving him permission to come on the bed (okay can also be used but I'd prefer something different like sleep, because it is different sounding), this will enforce your dominence over him by not giving him free rein of furniture, and it will be handy for letting him know what beds are OFF-LIMITS.
Your dog should also understand the basic concept of hand signals, basic understanding is okay, like sit, lie down and stay hand signals. These will make him watch your body language and thus make your bond closer. Hand signals are just a handy way to get better control of your dog, say when the examiner is watching and you don't want to make it too obvious your dog is getting out of control and you're trying to calm him down. Or is an elderly lady is talking to you and you don't wnat to be rude by saying "Just a sec ma'am... OLIVER, CALM DOWN! SIT!" "
My biggest issue right now is "dance" stop training this AT ONCE! This is the easiest way to get kicked out of any service dog organisation, they will not want a dog jumping on their patients, it's the biggest no-no! If your dog learns jumping up will get him treats he may start jumping on anyone, in hopes of getting treats. This is much harder to untrain then it is to just not train in the first place.
If you've got training all figured out I'd recommend joining an organisation or club, they'll tell you what your dog needs to know then give you an examination, and if you pass will help you do whatever needs done next. You might have to go to an information session to learn more about whatever kind of "service" you're joining.
Whew, I think that's one of my longest posts so far... I'm no expert, but I'll answer all your questions as best I can. :)

Answer:
 I suggest getting a mentor to help you. Contact Joanne of the PSDS group and she can help guide you. Go to her website and also to IAADP site and check out their task lists. Then with your doctors figure out which tasks you need Oliver to do. From there you can get your mentor to help you with your training. Join the PSD forum and ask them for advice to. They can be a huge help. But until you know the task list of what you will need Oliver to do to help you mitigate your disability then you are basically stuck with just training the basics.
As for teaching him to ignore food when you are eating and being under a table start at home. Attach him via leash to your waist or chair and start with just training him to stay settled under your chair as you eat. Once he can go a whole meal with out making any fuss and staying in a down(unless doing a task) then you can start teaching him to ignore food.
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax

Answer:
 Well firt things first, every and all great service dogs start with a well rounded and diverse base of training. At 12 weeks old the last thing you need to be thinking about is his SD training. Find a puppy training class, then do a basic training class and then move on to a Canine Good Citizen class. Each of these classes will set you up for doing your SD training.
My 9 month old lab is just now starting his SD training and he has another year or so before I will consider him a finished working dog.
Good luck

Answer:
 Thanks for the advice. I found an organization that is willing to evaluate him and possibly help me train him. I'm setting an appointment to get him evaluated for a second time next week.
Karla

Answer:
 Therapy dogs should not be confused with service dogs.
http://www.cofc.edu/~huntc/service.html
Service dogs are essential to a human's physical and/or mental well being and have the right to enter any business or facility that their owners wishes to enter.
Therapy dogs are certified to be able to enter places such as nursing homes and hospitals for the purpose of providing therapy to people who are NOT their owners. They do not have any legal right to enter buinessess or public buildings with their handlers.

Answer:
 That's what I thought, but doesn't an organisation for service dogs choose which dogs they want as service dogs, before the litter is even born? I always thought they chose the dogs as puppies, and that a person can't just say "hey I'd like to train my dog as a service dog"... Or is the service dog for you? Sorry, I'm horribly confused :blush:

Answer:
 You are thinking about facility trained Service Dogs. And also not all facilities have their own breeding dogs. Many rely on breeder donations and dogs from shelters also. Then you have trainers that train dogs for others or breed their own dogs(as the trainer I donated one of my pups to does) and trains them for others or themselves also. And then their are owner trainers. People who do get and train their own Service Dogs. Which is what I did with Sheena. I found a breeder, purchased her myself, raised and trained her for my disabilities and now she is my Service Dog. This is the route pupsnpigs is trying. It can be hard but it can be done.
Hope that answers your questions.
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax